AMORIS

THE EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES OF FAMILIES

LAETITIA
 AMORIS
THE EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES OF FAMILIES

LAETITIA OVERVIEW
Switching gears, Francis talks about the
specific issues families face today in their
concrete circumstances. He doesnot take the
view of liberation theology, which
understands circumstances themselves as a
source of theological truth, (locus
theologicus), but he does want to meet
families where they are.
31. The welfare of the family is decisive for the future of
the world and that of the Church.
GOING IN-DEPTH
1. Francis says, “The welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the
Church.” Why do you think he says this?
-Countless studies have been made of marriage and the family, their current problems, and
challenges. We do well to focus on concrete realities, since “the call and the demands of the
Spirit resound in the events of history”, and through these “the Church can also be guided to a
more profound understanding of the inexhaustible mystery of marriage and the family."
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
How can I do this in my family or the families around me?
-According to Pope Francis, the family's good consists of sharing relationships of faithful love,
trust, cooperation, and reciprocity, which brings about happiness. The family humanizes people
through the association of 'we' and simultaneously promotes each person's legitimate
differences.
32. Anthropological and cultural changes in our times
influence all aspects of life and call for an analytic and
diversified approach.
33. On the other hand, equal consideration needs to be
given to the growing danger represented by extreme
individualism.
GOING IN-DEPTH
2. What does Francis say “Extreme individualism” does to families?
-Extreme individualism weakens family bonds and ends up considering each family member as
an isolated unit, leading in some cases to the idea that one’s personality is shaped by his or her
desires, which are considered absolute. The tensions created by an overly individualistic
culture caught up with possessions and pleasures, lead to intolerance and hostility in families.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
Can you remember some concrete examples from the news or your experience?
-Independence sometimes gets argued with individualism. It is okay to be independent, but
when it goes beyond the line, then comes extreme individualism. There is someone who seeks
no help from anyone and only do things for the sake of themselves. They are pitiful as
sometimes they struggle especially since they are being very much individualistic.
33. Freedom of choice makes it possible to plan our lives and make the
most of ourselves. Yet if this freedom lacks noble goals or personal
discipline, it degenerates into an inability to give oneself generously to
others.
34. Unfortunately, it is easy nowadays to confuse genuine freedom with the
idea that each individual can act arbitrarily as if there were no truths,
values, and principles to provide guidance, and everything was possible and
permissible.
34. The ideal of marriage, marked by a commitment to
exclusivity and stability, is swept aside whenever it proves
inconvenient or tiresome.
35. What we need is a more responsible and generous effort to present the
reasons and motivations for choosing marriage and the family, and in this
way to help men and women better to respond to the grace that God offers
them.
GOING IN-DEPTH
3. What happens when marriage is just seen as a convenience? What is the correct response to
their current sensibilities against the institution of marriage?
-When marriage is just seen as a convenience, it is done without the expectation that the couple
will fall in love. In some cases, the couple would result to violence because they were not
compatible with each other and ended up in separation. When people see marriage as a
convenience, many aspects of a person’s life may not be fulfilled. He or she would not have a
passion, perhaps, or they are not going to enjoy intellectual camaraderie with their spouse.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
Are there any concrete ways we can support marriage?
-Communication and connection are crucial in marriage.
-Love, trust, time, and commitment keep marriage firm.
-Recognizing and accepting each other's differences help a marriage succeed.
36. We need to be humble and realistic, acknowledging that at times the way
we present our Christian beliefs and treat other people has helped contribute
to today’s problematic situation. We need a healthy dose of self-criticism.
37. We have long thought that simply by stressing doctrinal, bioethical, and
moral issues, without encouraging openness to grace, we were providing
sufficient support to families, strengthening the marriage bond, and giving
meaning to marital life.
37. We also find it hard to make room for the consciences of the faithful,
who very often respond as best they can to the Gospel amid their
limitations, and are capable of carrying out their own discernment in
complex situations.
38. In some countries, especially in various parts of Africa, secularism has not
weakened certain traditional values, and marriages forge a strong bond
between two wider families, with clearly defined structures for dealing with
problems and conflicts.
38. Nowadays we are grateful too for the witnessed marriages that have not only
proved lasting, but also fruitful and loving. All these factors can inspire a positive
and welcoming pastoral approach capable of helping couples to grow in appreciation
of the demands of the Gospel.
GOING IN-DEPTH
4. What is the problem with “Stressing doctrinal, bioethical, and moral issues?”
-Pope Francis stresses the need to "rediscover mercy" as a response to the "despair of so many
people who are marginalized, excluded and abandoned." However, many critics have raised
concerns about the Pope's message and how it can impact the Catholic Church's stance on divorce
and remarriage. According to critics, AL gives those who are divorced and remarried an "open
door" to receive the sacraments. They worry that if the Church does not strictly enforce its
doctrine on this issue, more Catholics will be tempted to pursue other sexual relationships outside
of marriage. As a result, the Church will lose credibility and influence as it seeks to encourage
young adults to remain faithful.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
Where can we see it today? What does Francis present in opposition to this?
-The Pope references "a pastoral attitude marked by care and compassion" to encourage bishops to
make the case for the forgiveness of sins. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing that each
individual possesses the innate dignity that comes from being made in the image of God and that
the Church must serve as a place of healing and reconciliation for those who are suffering.
Furthermore, he condemns any attempts to condemn or discriminate against individuals based on
their sexual identity or behavior. He argues that the Church must be "merciful and compassionate
toward all, without exception."
39. This is hardly to suggest that we cease warning against a cultural decline
that fails to promote love or self-giving. The consultation that took place prior
to the last two Synods pointed to the various symptoms of a “culture of the
ephemeral.”
39. The fears associated with permanent commitment, the obsession with
free time, and those relationships that weigh costs and benefits for the sake
of remedying loneliness, providing protection, or offering some service.
39. Narcissism makes people incapable of looking beyond themselves,
beyond their own desires and needs. Yet sooner or later, those who use
others end up being used themselves, manipulated, and discarded by that
same mind-set.
40. “At the risk of oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture that pressures
young people not to start a family because they lack possibilities for the future. Yet this
same culture presents others with so many options that they too are dissuaded from
starting a family.”
40. In some countries, many young people postpone a wedding for economic reasons, work or
study. As well as for reasons such as the influence of ideologies that devalue marriage and
family, the desire to avoid the failures of other couples, the fear of something they consider too
important and sacred, the social opportunities and economic benefits associated with simply
living together, a purely emotional and romantic conception of love, the fear of losing their
freedom and independence, and the rejection of something conceived as purely institutional
and bureaucratic.
41. The Synod Fathers noted that “cultural tendencies in today’s world seem to
set no limits on a person’s affectivity”; indeed, “a narcissistic, unstable or
changeable affectivity does not always allow a person to grow to maturity.”
41. The Synod Fathers also expressed concern about the current “spread of
pornography and the commercialization of the body, fostered also by a misuse of
the internet, and about those “reprehensible situations where people are forced
into prostitution.” In this context, “couples are often uncertain, hesitant and
struggling to find ways to grow."
42. Furthermore, “the decline in population, due to a mentality against having
children and promoted by the world politics of reproductive health, creates not only
a situation in which the relationship between generations is no longer ensured but
also the danger that, over time, this decline will lead to economic impoverishment
and a loss of hope in the future.
42. Factors influencing the birth rate include biotechnology, industrialization,
the sexual revolution, fear of overpopulation, economic problems, and
consumerism.
42. For the sake of this dignity of conscience, the Church strongly rejects forced
State intervention in favor of contraception, sterilization and even abortion.
GOING IN-DEPTH
5. What is the “Culture of the ephemeral”? What is the concern about unstable narcissistic
affectivity?
-As per Pope Francis, the "Culture of the ephemeral" is the speed with which people move from
one affective relationship to another.
-The concern about unstable narcissistic affectivity is that people may have an excessive concern
for prestige and power and a lack of empathy for others. This can lead to outbursts of intense
anger or silence known as narcissistic rage, as well as a desire for constant stimulation, instant
gratification, and the tendency to be bored easily. These traits can make them difficult to interact
with and cause instability in relationships.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
How are these related to cohabitation and an attitude against children?
-Narcissistic traits in young people are associated with parental overvaluation and a lack of
warmth for the child's needs. Narcissists tend to make bad relationship partners, as they are unable
to feel empathy or offer real love. This can lead to a condition known as Narcissistic Victim
Syndrome, where victims are coerced into disliking their parents. Grandiose narcissism is
positively linked to self-esteem level and emotional stability, which may affect attitudes towards
cohabitation and children.
43. The weakening of faith and religious practice in some societies has an effect
on families, leaving them more isolated amid their difficulties.
43. The Synod Fathers noted that “one symptom of the great poverty of
contemporary culture is loneliness, arising from the absence of God in a
person’s life and the fragility of relationships."
GOING IN-DEPTH
6. What does Francis note as the causes and consequences of loneliness in our culture?
-Pope Francis notes that families often feel abandoned due to a lack of interest and attention on the
part of institutions. The negative impact on the social order is clear, as seen in the demographic
crisis, in the difficulty of raising children, in a hesitancy to welcome new life, in a tendency to see
older persons as a burden, and in an increase in emotional problems and outbreaks of violence.
44. The lack of dignified or affordable housing often leads to the postponement
of formal relationships. Families and homes go together.
44. At times families suffer terribly when faced with the illness of a loved one
as they lack access to adequate health care or struggle to find dignified
employment.
44. Families, in particular, suffer from problems related to work, where young people
have few possibilities and job offers are very selective and insecure. Workdays are long
and oftentimes made more burdensome by extended periods away from home. This
situation does not help family members to gather together or parents to be with their
children in such a way as to nurture their relationships each day.
GOING IN-DEPTH
7. Francis says: “Families and homes go together.” What does this imply?
-Pope Francis makes us see how important it is to insist on the rights of the family and not only
those of individuals. The family is good that society cannot do without, and it ought to be
protected.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
How can our social policy change to reflect this?
-Our social policy should change. Many families had suffered because of their policies. They
should give more attention to the importance of a family. They are too focused on their good, and
that is why they should be reminded that each of us has families to love and care for. They should
be reminded for them to reflect on and change our social policy. It would be a total hypocrisy if
they do not acknowledge familial values when in fact they also come from and have their own
families. The best way that our social policy could do this is to provide and grant everyone the
rights that they have put out.
45. A great number of children are born outside of wedlock, many of whom
subsequently grow up with just one of their parents or in a blended or
reconstituted family.
45. The sexual exploitation of children is yet another scandalous and perverse
reality in present-day society. The sexual abuse of children is all the more
scandalous when it occurs in places where they ought to be most safe, particularly
in families, schools, communities, and Christian institutions.
46. Migration is another sign of the times to be faced and understood in terms
of its negative effects on family life.
GOING IN-DEPTH
8. How does Francis say that forced migration affects families?
-Forced migration of families, resulting from situations of war, persecution, poverty, and injustice,
and marked by the vicissitudes of a journey that often puts lives at risk, traumatizes people and
destabilizes families.
47. Families of persons with special needs, where the unexpected challenge of
dealing with a disability can upset a family’s equilibrium, desires, and
expectations. Families who lovingly accept the difficult trial of a child with
special needs are greatly to be admired.
47. People with disabilities are a gift for the family and an opportunity to
grow in love, mutual aid, and unity.
GOING IN-DEPTH
9. What about families with persons of special needs?
-In these situations, the family can discover, together with the Christian community, new
approaches, new ways of acting, and a different way of understanding and identifying with others
by welcoming and caring for the mystery of the frailty of human life.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
What families do I know with people with special needs? How do they demonstrate “the gift”
Francis mentions?
-People with disabilities are a gift for the family and an opportunity to grow in love, mutual aid,
and unity. If the family, in the light of the faith, accepts the presence of persons with special needs,
they will be able to recognize and ensure the quality and value of every human life, with its proper
needs, rights, and opportunities. This approach will promote care and services on behalf of these
disadvantaged persons and will encourage people to draw near to them and provide affection at
every stage of their life.
48. Most families have great respect for the elderly, surrounding them with
affection and considering them a blessing.
GOING IN-DEPTH
10. What kind of respect does Francis indicate should be shown toward the elderly?
-A kind of respect that Francis indicates is that we should surround elders with affection and
consider them a blessing; this includes loving, honoring, caring, and never abandoning and
ignoring them. Older members of a family bring wisdom, calm, dependability, and unconditional
love that frame the views of the broader family and shape the future of younger generations. A
special word of appreciation is due to those associations and family movements committed to
serving the elderly, both spiritually and socially.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
Is it shown in families I know? How can I show that better to the elderly I know?
-As a person who has an elder family at home, it is my duty to take care of and respect them. They
weathered many storms through life, as they were building a strong future. All of their struggles
are lessons to us. By caring for them while also spending quality time, we can discover values and
learn from their experiences. Our Elders have served a great purpose while building our
foundation. As they age, their purpose shouldn’t be ignored. Along with proper care, we should
also aim to give them a sense of purpose. This will give them some joy in their later years. Our
elders love us unconditionally, regardless of what we become or what we do. Of course, they may
get upset with us from time to time. However, at the end of the day, they love us no matter what.
This kind of love is hard to find anywhere else, so let’s love our elders and be their strength and
support.
49. The problems faced by poor households are often all the more trying.
GOING IN-DEPTH
11. What challenges do families in dire poverty face?
-For example, if a single mother has to raise a child by herself and needs to leave the child alone at
home while she goes to work, the child can grow up exposed to all kinds of risks and obstacles to
personal growth. In such difficult situations of need, the Church must be particularly concerned to
offer understanding, comfort, and acceptance, rather than imposing straightaway a set of rules that
only lead people to feel judged and abandoned by the very Mother called to show them God’s
mercy.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
Can I do anything to help them?
-A constant reminder of hope, faith, and light from God is necessary for families in dire poverty.
Nothing is impossible with God. In our country, education is one of the best instruments to alleviate
poverty. An encouragement to the children of the family to go to school every day can be one step
toward claiming success in life. Poverty is and will never be a hindrance to success. There are many
ways to combat poverty and fight for a better life and one happens to be education.
50. The responses given to the two pre-synodal consultations spoke of a great variety
of situations and the new challenges that they pose. Including problems raising
children, less communication due to exhausting schedules, various distractions, and
even stress.
51. Drug use was mentioned as one of the scourges of our time, causing
immense suffering and even breakup for many families. The same is true of
alcoholism, gambling, and other addictions.
51. Violence within the family is a breeding-ground of resentment and hatred
in the most basic human relationship
52. No one can think that the weakening of the family as a natural society founded
on marriage will prove beneficial to society as a whole. The contrary is true: it
poses a threat to the mature growth of individuals, the cultivation of community
values, and the moral progress of cities and countries.
52. We need to acknowledge the great variety of family situations that can offer a
certain stability, but de facto or same-sex unions, for example, may not simply be
equated with marriage. No union that is temporary or closed to the transmission of
life can ensure the future of society.
53. Some societies still maintain the practice of polygamy; in other places,
arranged marriages are an enduring practice.
53. In many places, not only in the West, the practice of living together before
marriage is widespread, as well as a type of cohabitation that totally excludes
any intention to marry.
53. The strength of the family lies in its capacity to love and to teach how to
love. All a family’s problems can always grow, beginning with love.
54. Women are sometimes subjected, to domestic violence and various forms of
enslavement which, rather than a show of masculine power, are craven acts of
cowardice. The verbal, physical, and sexual violence that women endure in
some marriages contradicts the very nature of the conjugal union.
54. The equal dignity of men and women makes us rejoice to see old forms of
discrimination disappear, and within families, there is a growing reciprocity.
55. Men play an equally decisive role in family life, particularly with regard to
the protection and support of their wives and children. The absence of a father
gravely affects family life and the upbringing of children and their integration
into society. This absence, which may be physical, emotional, psychological,
and spiritual, deprives children of a suitable father figure.
56. Another challenge is posed by the various forms of an ideology of gender
that denies the difference and reciprocity in the nature of a man and a woman
and envisages a society without sexual differences, thereby eliminating the
anthropological basis of the family.
56. It needs to be emphasized that biological sex and the socio-cultural role of
sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated. We are creatures, and not
omnipotent. Creation is prior to us and must be received as a gift. At the same
time, we are called to protect our humanity, and this means, in the first place,
accepting it and respecting it as it was created.
GOING IN-DEPTH/REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
12. Paragraphs 50–56 mention a number of problems in family life. Which have I encountered? Which are
prevalent in my area? What can I do about it?
-Mostly the challenges being mentioned were common in these modern times. Every family encounters
challenges and problems in order to face them and solve them. It is normal to disagree with each other
from time to time. Occasional conflict is part of family life. However, ongoing conflict can be stressful
and damaging to relationships. Everyone should do the following:
~Trying to listen – Actively listen to what they are saying and what they mean.
~Communication - Communicating in a positive way can help reduce conflict so that family members can
reach a peaceful resolution. This usually means that everyone agrees to a compromise or agrees to
disagree.
~Instead of using drugs and other addictions why not just perform some recreational activities like
running, swimming, playing games, dancing, and others that people can spend away from their everyday
responsibilities
~One way to put an end to verbal abuse is to call out the abuser each time they strike;
~File a case addressing domestic violence and let the court punish the abusers
57. Pope Francis thanks God that many families, which are far from
considering themselves perfect, live in love, fulfill their calling and keep
moving forward, even if they fall many times along the way.
57. The Synod’s reflections show us that there is no stereotype of the ideal
family, but rather a challenging mosaic made up of many different realities,
with all their joys, hopes, and problems.
57. In every situation that presents itself, the Church is conscious of the need
to offer a word of truth and hope. The great values of marriage and the
Christian family correspond to a yearning that is part and parcel of human
existence.
GOING IN-DEPTH
13. What is Francis’s attitude towards families that love but fall along the way?
-In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis provides a new perspective on how families that love but fall along
the way can be embraced by the Church. His writing outlines the responsibilities that Pope Francis has
towards individuals and their families, while also affirming the love and mercy that is offered by the
Church.
REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
Does this describe my family or families I know? How does this give me hope?
-Traditionally, some people I know who have experienced this kind of situation have been viewed in a
negative light by the Church and society. The Church has been seen as unwelcoming to those who have
fallen away from the faith. However, Pope Francis is welcoming of those individuals and their families.
Through Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis acknowledges that sin is not a personal failing on the part of
those who have strayed from their faith, but rather a lack of faith on their part. He emphasizes the
importance of providing pastoral care to these individuals and reminds his readers that they are children
of God just like everyone else. Pope Francis states that "no one should be lost at any cost. "He believes
"that this is the greatest challenge for the Catholic Church today."
 AMORIS
THE EXPERIENCES AND CHALLENGES OF FAMILIES

LAETITIA
~THE END~
12-C WORSHIP